Story perspectives

Trump Official Urged Violence Against Protesters in Email

3/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

In a June 11 email, Joseph Mazzara, an official in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, urged violence against protesters, suggesting officers should hit demonstrators and arrest those unable to escape.
The messages were revealed by American Oversight and shared with the Los Angeles Times.
Opinion columnist Ja’han Jones criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) culture of intimidation and linked it to Trump administration's immigration policies.
DHS has not commented.

1 of 1

Story summary

In a June 11 email, Joseph Mazzara, an official in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, urged violence against protesters, suggesting officers should hit demonstrators and arrest those unable to escape.
The messages were revealed by American Oversight and shared with the Los Angeles Times.
Opinion columnist Ja’han Jones criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) culture of intimidation and linked it to Trump administration's immigration policies.
DHS has not commented.